September is the new January

Well Labor Day has come and gone and for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere that means one thing…summer is behind us and we are moving into Fall. Fall has actually always been my favorite season and even more so since moving to New York! The outrageous colors of the leaves, the fresh, crisp air, the cozy Fall clothes and the boots… Oh the boots!

According to Ayurveda, Fall season is governed by vata which is an energy that is responsible for movement in the body and activity in the nervous system. If this is hard to understand, think of wind. Wind moves everything around and has a quick yet sometimes sporadic direction to it. Vata is related to wind. This explains why there is a kind of electricity in the air this time of year and a feeling that things are finallyhappening. Those goals and big ideas we had at the beginning of the new year might finally be gaining traction, our projects are taking off, our dreams are turning into our reality and sitting around all day sunbathing in a lounge chair somehow no longer sounds quite as appealing as it did just a few weeks ago… Nature is in movement and our bodies and minds want to move with it! Time to get things done.

What goals did you set in the beginning of the year? September is a perfect time to revisit and refine those goals. There is still plenty of time to put your intentions into action and this is the ideal time to do it. There is a tangible feeling of magic in the air and nature is moving on your behalf.

Vata season brings with it a fresh wave of creativity and enthusiasm for projects. It also however can be energy that feels scattered or unfocused. It is easy to become overwhelmed when thinking about all that we may want to accomplish before the end of the year! That is why I encourage you to approach your goal setting from a more heart-centered place instead of an overly analytical, result oriented state-of-mind.
Clarifying intentions:

Take a moment to sit and slow down your breathing. Consciously focus your attention on your heart center (center of the chest) and take a few deep breaths. If you feel anxious or distracted, breathe in deeply through your nose and then softly exhale the air through your mouth 3-7 times. Let your exhalations be a little longer than your inhalations. Allow your mind to slow down as you place more awareness on your breathing. Once you feel calm and grounded ask yourself these questions. Allow several breaths in between each question for insight and answers to arise – not from your mind, but from a deeper knowing in your heart.

“How do I really want to feel?”

“What do I most want to do?”

“What would accomplishing that mean for me?”

“Why is that important to me?”

“Why is that important for the world?”

“What is one small step I can take today in the direction of my dreams?”

Rather than focus on a long list of goals, choose one that you can take action on today. Then take the simplest step possible in that direction. Repeat daily.

Along with reexamining our goals and aligning with the momentum that is naturally occurring this season, Fall is also a season of letting go. The days are growing shorter and darker, the leaves begin to fall from the trees, and we too can consider what we want to release.

Aligning with the energy of letting go, Fall is – after Spring – the most important time of year for cleansing your body and releasing habits and foods that are not really serving your bigger dreams of living with energy, enthusiasm, losing weight and feeling comfortable in your own skin.

This Fall I decided to offer you a series of free (as in FREE) tele-classes with me to help you release what is in the way and meet your goals in the most heart centered way possible.

The first free workshop is on releasing sugar addiction.

I want to share with you some unconventional secrets I’ve learned from Ayurveda, mindfulness practices, and my holistic health training that will help you kick the cravings and transform your relationship with sugar.

The call will be Monday September 14th at 6PM EST . If you cannot be live on the line, you can still receive a recording of the call if you register by clicking this link.*This call has already happened but you can receive notice of future free workshops by clicking the link above

Happy Fall (or Spring for my friends in the Southern Hemisphere) and good luck moving forward in the direction of your dreams!